Sound film recording or reproducing device



Oct. 21, 1941. c, wEN 2,260,202

SOUND FILM RECORDING OR REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed April 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l lNl ENTOR E. C. WEN TE ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1941. Q E' 7 2,260,202

SOUND FILM RECORDING OR REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed April 3, 1940 FIG: 2

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V VEN TOR V E. c. WENTE ATTQRA/EV Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES mint Ita ics SOUND FILM msco rs i i o on'nnrnonuo- ING nEvro Edward C. Wente, New York; N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 3, 1940, serial-No. 327,523 3 14 Claims. (01. ire-100.3) I I This invention relates to film recording and reproducing systems'and apparatus and more particular-ly'to such apparatus incorporating means for simultaneously recording, or reproducing from, a plurality of individual sound tracks on a singlefilm'.

' -The object of the invention is to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus of compact construction incorporating a plurality of recording or fre'producing .optical systems for simultaneously recording, or reproducing from, a plurality of sound tracks on a single film in engagement with a single supporting roller gate. A further object of the invention is to provide a combined recording andjreproducing apparatus wherein the recording and reproducing optical systems may be readily interchanged without disturbingthe film driving and guiding elements of the apparatus. 7

Q A'leature of the invention resides in the construction of the apparatus permitting the disposition'of a'plurality of recording or reproducing optical units circumferentially adjacent the film engaging side of a single film supporting roller anddisplaced relative to each other axially of the roller; 1 The invention will be best understood from the following detailed description, reference 7 being had'to the appended drawings. v *"Fig jl is aside elevation of the machine showing the recording'units in place; Fig. 2 is a corresponding View 'of the machine with the reproducing units in place and illustrating the device in somewhat greater detail;

Fig. 3isaplan view; 1 I r Fig. 4 is an end elevation partly in section; -Fig.5-is a detail View showing operating mechanism' for a film retaining pressure roller and the position of an optical unit with respect tothe reording drum; I V

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the mounting of the spherical reproducinglenses in their carrier which'is interchangeable with a carrier mounting cylindrical recording lenses;

1 Fig; '7 shows the construction of a band brake which is used to prevent overrunning of the film supply reel; 'I

Fig,.i 8 shows the'cylindrical recording lenses in position adjacent the recording drum; and Fig. 9 shows mounting details oithe recording lens unit together with details of film retaining and guide rollers. 1 I Y As shown in Fig; 1 .film from a supply reel l is drawn through a "light seal 2 by a 'i driven sprocket 3 about whichthe film is g'iven wrap by means of unflangedretaining roller 4 and flanged retaining roller 5. Roller 5: also'serves to assist in guiding the film toward a flanged guide roller 8. n driven sprocket 6 pulls'the filmoverha drum 1. lliis drumis driven by the passage of the film thereover andis coupled toan inertiag member which will be discussedhereinafter, In its pase sage to and fromfthe recordingdrumfl thefilm is guided by guide rollersva; 9, I01, H], H and I02 and is held snugly against the drum by means of a pressure roller I21, Guide and retaining rollers l3 and 14 cooperate with sprocket 6. After leavingsproclret 6 the film is taken up in the usual manner by'a take-upreel mounted in a container I5. On its wa y to the take-up'reelthe film passes through alight sea-l l5. Removably secured to a standard) l1 mounted on a base inemberjl 8 are recording units 19,: 20, 2| and"22 together with their'associated"exciter lamps 23, 24,25 and 26 Theselight valvesarepreferably of a construction disclosed in my c'opending application Serial No. 318,922; filed February 14, 1940 A part of the optical sy tem ror each light valve is self-containedbut final definition of the line of light on the-film isobtained by-Ineans of small cylindrical lenses, to subsequently described, mounted in a removable carrier Z'B'Which is secured to standard I'l by means of thumb screws 21 and 28. Powerio'r the'device is supplied by means of a motor 28 'shown 'in dotted lines. An end bearing of'the motor is shownat 2 9. A cover 30 closes'a compartment protecting a plurality -of photocells in a manner to be more muy 'described hereinaft?!" I t n c 5 Referring now to Fig. 2"it may be seen "that motor 28 drives a shaft 3| supported by suitable bearings Hand 33 and; carrying'worms wane 35", -As in ay best be seen in'Fig. 4 theworm 34'cooperates with a' wo'rmwheel 36 which is secured to the shaft on which sprocket 6 mounted. This shaft may rotate in suitable "bearings between standard lTand a rear standard l8, bbthbf which are secured by any convenient means to the base I} Sprocket? is"driven 'by worm '35 through a gear cbrresponding to gear 35, the sprocket shaft being supported between standards I! and 18, as has just been described. The sprocket shaft 31 has secured thereto' a gear 38 which drives gear 39 (Fig. 2). As may best be seen in Fig. 3a pair of pulleys and 4 I are'mounted on the shaft with gear 39 and are driven thereby. Atake-up reel is mounted on a'shaft 42, this shaft being driven by means of pulleys 43 and 44 which are belt-conne'cted'to pulleys 4| and 40," respectively; The beltsfused are in the form of helical springs, the

hi lerat d -pr ssu eto the film..

diameter of the helix being relatively large. The creep of these spring belts over their cooperating pulleys, as a result of compression on one side and supply reel rotates and generates a considerable amount of inertia. In case the motor circuit is opened to stop the machine, it is desirable that some means he provided to slow down and stop rotation of the supply reel. Aband brake for this purpose is provided and is indicated generally-i n- Fig. 2 at 40. This brake is shown in reater de-' 5 tail in Fig. 7 and consists of a band ofwoven or webbingbelting 4| anchored at 4 and nane- 1 tained under tension by means of a spring 43; one

of the type commonly known in the art as a kinetic scanner but is preferably of the type shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 294,855, filed September 14, 1939. It

is the function of this inertia member to cause the roller 7 to turn at an extremely uniform rate of speed to maintain the uniform velocity of film travel which is essential to recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, photographic I film. I

' As may be seen in Fig. 4, the roller 1 is provided with a series of deep grooves extending end of which may be adjustably secured in a; Q mounting bracket 44. The brake band 5| co;

operates with a drum 45 fixedly secured to a shaft h th l t h f i i s drum m y be by the film durmg itspassage thereover, i ii s ss i r t at he fi m b wra pedtighu 0f a niechahism about to be described seen inFig. .5. 'The flanged idler roller l l is i otatablymounted one stud secured to a l m ll-which is se to pivot about a stud to standard I1. A right-angledexof a pivot 53. Pressure roller- I2 is suitably tocause roller; IZ; to press the film lightly p A sna :5 t n s to produce a t m arms .5 and s a ledin a pivoted arm 54 which is rigidly g t. the erguihat all; times. This is insured i i levee- 1:. tro des th vo ip i t 1 ie a lsts it st tsdt e ever a m ms s meseier engs s 'j st s r d; i it is obvious that punch the film by sprocket i -tehests pr ss rplls l firml ga n he ifilm etpeint where it en age roller: 1 a d t us 1 1 ma ta -it snug y-th m d J eund t e-rollers 3 LflhQiQIQgQihs; de s -int cnrappli p r cu a y i9.thei t elg urihewh h o er h s s ted end i bein acce e ted 1 full speed. ha atttti st v ull e the fi p s t to overcome spring 51 and lever 41 to engagement: with limiting stop 103.

e1; 1 s n his position'of lever 4-l'.f;!:0.1ler !2 applies a li' oller I; ismounted on the end of a shaft suitably jeurnaledinsupports H and I8. These hea ngs hay n t been s own ut their general.

59 smiles. b m ans of; a fr e 1 I O mounted on a; 'fix'ed stud: 58.

disposition maybe understood by reference to 1 well below its outer periphery. These grooves operate with correspondingly spaced optical elemerits forming part of either the recording or reproducing optical systems. As shown in Fig. 2, glass rods 6| ,1 62 63, and 64 extend into these grooves and pick. up light which has passed through the film at points corresponding axially w th. th posi on the ve a guide u light to photocells 65, 66, er and 68, respectively; These photocells translate the varying light energy into varying electrical'energy and supply the loud-speakersof the system during reproduction. They may also be used, if desired, to energize monitoring loud-speakers during reordi g, i, Y I 1 shown in Fig. 2, four reproducing units cooperate with the four records on the film.

These units are indicated at 69, 19,1! and f units; previously described. Each reproducing unit incorporates optical means forcollecting a light from its associated exciting lamp and focus sing it in afine li-ne across the sound trackto which it is individual. Cooperating with these optical systems is a group of four spherical lenses Ti, 1e, 19 and mountedin a carrier 8| which may; be readily remov'edby means of thumb screws -21 an d zfi previously discussed 'in connection with.cylihdricall ns ca ri r 5-. l This lens ca rie iSIShoWIl in g eat d a l in Fig. 6 which shows the space relation of the various lenses along the axis of the translating drum. Fig; 5 showsgadded details of the mounting. of these lenses which; in'the present case;

i. .7 s, V. are standard microscope objectives, although ob- 5!,v tie th left-en tends o produce 1 viously the type of optical systemused with the device may vary widely. These lenses are preferably adjustable for focussi-ng purposes. j I Figs-8 and 9jshow substantially the'same views 01' the machine as are shown in-Figs. 5 and 6. In Figs; v8 and 9,, however, the removable sector shaped len'scarrier used to supply part of the recording optical system 'is' shown in position.-

Small cylindrical lenses BI, 82, 83 and 84"are carried by this sector which is removably secured by thumb screwsg2l' and 28. These lenses when in position', 'are close to the film and their axes extend in parallel .relation'to thfi'EXlS :of the translating roller. Asmay'be seenby inspection of eith'erfi'gur, they have a'progressive angular offset with respect to the periphery "of the roller; They are also staggered horizontally along the axis. of the roller as may be clearly seen in Fig.9. The photoclls are mounted in suitable sockets 85 Vandilfi as shown in Fig.3. As the photocells must be so .mounted' as to extend into proper position to cooperate with the glass light/ conductingrods'fil to 54,-the sockets aremounted on plates such' as 8'! which are -spaced from a members such as 89 and 90. This panel together with a chassis support is secured by means of brackets 9| and 92 to vertical standards 93 and 94 by means of resilient mountings. The chassis may support suitable vacuum tube amplifiers for the various photocells. These amplifiers have not been shown in order to avoid needless complications in the drawings. The lateral spacing of the photocells and the method of using the spacing members are clearly shown in Fig. 4.

A film footage counter may be driven by means of a worm wheel 95 which cooperates with a worm on the main'driving shaft of the device as indicated on Figs. 3 and 4.

What is claimed is:

. 1. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound irom, a multiple track photographic film, a film support, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units in cooperative space relation with respect to said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units, and means to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units in cooperative space relation in proximity to said film.

1 2. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a curved support for said film, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units circumferentially of said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units and means to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units, circumferentially of and in cooperative proximity to said film.

3. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a film support, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units in cooperative space relation with respect to said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units and mounted in a unitary carrier, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units and mounted in a unitary carrier, and means to interchangeably mount said carriers whereby said optical units are mounted in cooperative proximity to said film.

4. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a curved support for said film, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units circumferentially of said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units and mounted in a curved common unitary carrier, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units and mounted in a curved common unitary carrier, and means to interchangeably mount said carriers to dispose said optical units circumferentially of and in cooperative proximity to said film.

5. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a curved support for said film, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units circumferentially of said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units and mounted in a curved common unitary carrier, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units and mounted in a'curved common unitary carrier, and means to interchangeably mount said carriers to dispose said optical units circumferentially of and in close proximity to said film,said optical units being so mounted in said carriers as to be angularly spaced with respect to'the curvature of said film support and laterally spaced axially of said film support.

6. Inia device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a'film support, a set of recording units, each of said recording units including'an exciting lamp, a light valve and a portion of an units, a second set of optical units cooperating" with said set of reproducing units, andmeans to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units in close cooperative relation with respect to said film.

'7. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a film support, a set of recording units, each of said recording units including an exciting lamp, a light valve and. a portion of an optical recording system, a set of reproducing I units, each of said reproducing units including an exciting lamp and a portion of an optical reproducing system, said portion including light deflecting'and focussing means, means to inter changeably mount said sets of units in cooperative relation with respect to said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units, and means to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units in close cooperative relation with respect to said film.

8. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a film support, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units in proper space relation with respect to said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units in cooperative space relation and in proximity to said film, light guiding members extending through said film support into close proximity to said film, and a photoelectric cell individual to each member and cooperating therewith.

9. In a device for recording sound on, or reproducing sound from, a multiple track photographic. film, a film support, a set of recording units, a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units in proper space relation with respect to said film support, a set of optical units cooperating with said set of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of optical units in cooperative space relation and in proximity to said film, glass rods extending through said film support into close proximity .to said film, and aphotoelectric cell individual to ieachiglass rod and responsive to light received fromiits associated rod '10. =]3n"a:device*or recording sound on, or re- 1 producing sound from, a'multiple track photographic film, a rotatable film support, a set of recording units, a setof reproducing units,"means .to interchangeably mount said sets of units'circumferentially of :said afilm support, a set of op 1 tical units cooperating with saidset of recording units, a second set of optical units cooperating i with said set of reproducing units, and means to interchangeably mount said. sets of optical 1 units, circumferentially of and in proximity to Said film.

' 11. In a device for recording sound on, or re- 1 producing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, film driving means, a rotary inertia member, :a film driven rotary film support directly coupled to said rotary inertia member, a set of recording units, a set ofreproducing units,

tical units, circumferentially of and in proximity l to said film.

12. In a device for recording sound on, or re- 1 producing sound from, a multiple track photographic film, a-rotary film' support, grooves in said support, there being a groove for each sound track space on said film, a set of recording units,

a set of reproducing units, means to interchangeably mount said sets of units circumferentially of said film support, a set-ofoptical units coopj erating with said set of recording units, a sec- 0nd set of optical units cooperating with said set of reproducing units, means to interchange ably mount said sets of optical units, circumfer entially of and in proximity to said film, light guiding members extending through the grooves in said film support into proximity to said film, and a' photoelectric cell individual to each' of said members and-cooperating therewith. 7 13. In combination, in a film recording orreproducing apparatus, a casing, means in said casing for driving said film, a curved film support in :said casing-adapted to be engaged by said film, :a plurality of lens units circumferentially disposed adjacent the film engaging side-of said film support and ofiset transversely of said support with respect tofieach other, a plurality of light modulating devices and means on said casing for mounting'ea'ch of said modulating devices on said casing 'in optical alignment with one of said lens units. s l

14. In combination, in a "film recording 1or;reproducing apparatus, means for driving *said'film; a roller adapted to be engaged by said film, said roller having -a plurality of circumferential grooves therein, a plurality of individual optical systems circumferentially disposed adjacent *the film engaging side of said .roller and ofifset with respect to each other axially of said roller, a plurality of light sensitive elements disposed adjacentthe nonfilm engaging surface-0f said roller, and a plurality of light transmitting rods extending into the grooves in said =film driven roller and interposed between said film and said light sensitive elements, each light transmitting 'rod 'being arranged to transmit the light pro:

jected through said film by one of said optical units to one of said light-sensitive elements.

' EDWARD C. WENTE, 

